In Ireland haunted castles areOnly for the bravest souls

In Ireland, haunted castles are still an irresistible attraction to all those who wish to peer into the mysterious otherworld.

Any one of the haunted castles of Ireland can scratch that itch, but they'll make the back of your neck tingle as well.

Stories of strange apparitions. Ghosts sitting on rooftops. Rumbling cookery in uninhabited rooms. Ireland haunted castles will set your teeth chattering with their mysteries and tales.

If you are seeking a truly unique way to see the Emerald Isle and make memories that will last beyond the grave, then make sure you plan to visit all the Irish castles that have ghosts, specters and things that go bump in the night!

Come prepared with a stout heart!

Clonony CastleShannon Harbour, County Offaly

Built in the 16th century, the great ruins of this tower are the home of a mysterious ghost that no-one has been able to identify. A man, surrounded by a hazy, eerie light, stands at the top of the tower wearing old-fashioned clothes. This tall, gaunt figure is regularly seen by people driving by the castle and the description of the man has always been the same. Irish castles are usually not visited by such mysterious apparitions from the Beyond.

Charleville Forest CastleTullamore, County Offaly

With luminous balls of ghostly light appearing throughout the castle, and the ghost of Charles Bury, First Earl of Charleville haunting a tower, the Charleville Forest Castle is an eerie place of strange sights, include an Initiation Circle left over from the Druids. Thanks to the fact that this haunted castle of Ireland provides accommodations for the night, ghost hunters can bed down here to search for the secrets of its uncanny events.

Kilkea CastleCastledermot, County Kildare

High on a wall in the rear of this castle, an erotic carving of bizarre half-human, half-animal figures indicates to all who approach that Kilkea Castle is not for the faint of heart. This carving, known as the Evil Eye Stone, is not the only unusual feature of this haunted castle of Ireland. It is said that every seven years, the ghost of Earl Gerald rises from the grave to rid Ireland of its enemies. Time your visit to this haunted Irish castle right, and you may catch a glimpse of the Earl as he sets out on his spectral mission.

Killua CastleClonmellon, County Westmeath

Famed as the family seat of the great T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Killua Castle was abandoned long ago. Nevertheless, its former visitors often heard strange sounds in the middle of the night.

The walls of Killua Castle are said to be guarded by a white specter at night, and a vile-looking figure was often seen inside the ruins. This hideous apparition is believed to be Jacky Dalton, a land steward from the 18th century who swindled his master out of great sums of money.

He was said to be a small but wily man who drank all his ill-gotten gains and committed suicide by throwing himself into the lake. If you are possessed of steely nerves and you wish to glean the knowledge of Ireland haunted castles, Killua can give you a glimpse into the eerie and uncanny.

Leap CastleCounty Offaly

Visit Leap Castle only if you are willing to dare a glimpse of the life and unlife. Standing out among Ireland haunted castles, Leap is said to be one of the most haunted castles of Ireland.

Even the locals who are supposed to "know better" avoid it after the sun goes down. Some have described seeing the windows at the top of the castle lighting up brilliantly for no reason whatsoever. Another presence is said to give off a ghastly odor.

The ghosts in Leap Castle are angry specters...and with good reason.

Within its walls lie secrets of a dark and deadly past. Over 400 years ago, during High Mass, a priest was murdered by his own brother in what is now called the "bloody chapel".

The dungeon was also a source of excruciating pain and unendurable misery for tortured prisoners as they waited for the sweet release of death. With such notorious implements as thumbscrews, the rack, and the iron maiden, there was no end to the pain this den of misery subjected its denizens to.

Around the year 1900, workmen hired to clean out Leap Castle pulled up the drop floor of the dungeon and discovered human skeletons piled on top of each other as though they were tossed in like cordwood. Death was everywhere in Leap Castle. And now, it lingers in the very living stone.

If the bizarre, the frightful, and the inexplicable do not dissuade you, Leap Castle is the destination where you can test your mettle against all things that go bump in the night.